Catalonia and Spain introduce more measures against coronavirus

As promised, the authorities in Catalonia and Spain announced further measures on Thursday to combat the spread of coronavirus as the number of confirmed cases went above 300 and 3000 in Catalonia and Spain, respectively.

While Catalan vice president Pere Aragonès announced a billion-euro credit line for small and medium-sized companies, Spanish president Pedro Sànchez said his government will transfer 2.8 billion euros to regional governments to "reinforce health services."

Sánchez also said that there would be a billion euros provided for urgent health procedures and 400 million euros for companies in the tourism sector, one of the economic areas that has been affected most by the coronavirus outbreak.

Catalonia

For the first time ever, Catalonia entered emergency phase 1, announcing new measures to add to those announced on Wednesday, with Catalan president Quim Torra asking everyone in the country to "slow down their pace in order to control the pandemic."

• All schools and universities will close from Friday, in theory for two weeks.

• Civic centers, elderly daycare centers, and children's play centers will be closed.

• New admissions to homes for the elderly, the disabled, and the mentally impaired have been suspended.

• All public events of more than a thousand people must be canceled or postponed.

• Public events with fewer than a thousand people must limit attendance to a third of the venue's capacity.

• All sports events, professional and amateur, have been suspended, with those unable to be suspended to be held behind closed doors. Only in those involving children will the adults accompanying them be allowed to attend.

Barcelona

The Barcelona city council has also introduced preventive measures, with mayor Ada Colau, who is confined to her home, calling on residents to "lower the pace of the city" to a minimum.

• The council will close 58 daycare centers for the elderly until March 27, as senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to the covid-19 disease.

• Activities in some of the city's main public facilities, such as cultural centers, libraries, and sports centers, will be limited.

• Municipal telehomecare services will also be reinforced for elderly and dependent people who live alone.

Spain

With a Spanish minister testing positive for covid-19, all of Spain's cabinet members will be subject to screening for the disease, and government members will be working from home.

• All plenary sessions of Congress will be suspended until March 24. MPs will be able to vote online, with only those wishing to speak in debates having to attend the chamber.

• The next two matchdays in Spain's La Liga football division have been postponed, along with second-tier games, and matches in Spain's ACB basketball league.

• All direct flights from Italy to Spain for the next two weeks have been suspended, as Italy is the origin of most of the cases reported.

• All trips organized by the Imserso agency (Spain's institute for senior citizens) have been canceled, due to the elderly being one of the most at-risk groups.

• People off work due to infection or being confined can claim occupational sick pay from the first day, allowing them 75% of their salary, rather than 60% for the first 20 days.

• All leisure and cultural events with over a thousand people are suspended, while those with fewer than 1,000 people must reduce attendance to a third of the venue's capacity.